


Place In The Sun

by Jacklope



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 18:59:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10367259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacklope/pseuds/Jacklope
Summary: "Hyūga" (日向) means "place in the sun." So it is strange that my family, the Hyuga clan, is so cold, as if the sun never shines on us.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> I wrote this for my sister (pinkahiru) in exchange for some YamaKaka! First thing I've wrote in years so, be kind! 
> 
> I obviously don't own Naruto because then Kakashi would've been super HECKA gay for Gai and Tenzou. They belong to Kishimoto.

"Hyūga" (日向) means "place in the sun." So it is strange that my family, the Hyuga clan, is so cold, as if the sun never shines on us. 

Hyuuga also means kneeling on uncooked rice when you speak out of turn, four assassination attempts on your life before you even turn ten, training for hours even when your body is pushed to the point of exhaustion, training like the Senbon Sparring ritual where the trainee must spar roughly one thousand times in succession. 

Hyuuga also means that I see the way, cousin Neji-san looks at me with such fueled hatred, because of the way and the life we were born into. Hyuuga means that I never see Hinabi, my sister and half of my soul, who is often whisked away for training. 

This is my family, my clan. They've long since given up hope for me being the strong, cold, heiress they desire. Instead they pour their time and devoting into Hinabi. Leaving me further in the shadows. And further from the promise, the false promise, of my name. 

\-----time skip---- 

It's been months since the chuunin exams have passed. I muse on this while I make Neji-nii-san tea for after sparring. I'm almost painfully late to meet up with my team, but Kiba and Shino never seem to mind. I leave the tea outside where they will find it and I turn to leave. I'm late. And that is when I run nearly completely in to Neji-nii-san. But I've been practicing, I am not the useless little girl in the shadows anymore. I dodge his body with agility and grace. I don't need the Byakugan to see the shock on his face. Maybe now, they will invite me too, to the sparring. Maybe now, I can feel the sun, as well. 

"You are so laaaaateee, Hinata!" Kiba whines, not uncharacteristically like his dog. 

I bow as low as I feel. 

"I apologize Kiba-kun, please forgive me." 

He looks at me a little sadly, like he still expects me to bite back to his bark like they do at his house. But there is no barking in the Hyuuga estate. Often, there is no sound at all. 

"It is rude to ignore your other comrade, you should apologize to me as well, Hinata-chan." Shino says this in his quiet buzz. His words sting, because that's what they do in his household. I do not sting back, a Hyuuga is gentle. 

And this is our team. Biting, stinging, and gentle. This team that I found to be more warm and welcoming and loving than my own home. I don't tell them this. I don't need too. I know they feel the same. 

\-----later that day-----

We are walking on the training field at the same time they are finishing up. We wait politely. Team Gai would leave if we asked, but we won't. Neji is not with them, because he is training with Hiashi-sama today. Instead Lee-san and TenTen-chan are practicing their taijutsu. I briefly flicker back to the way my heart seized up at TenTen-chan's spine broken over the Sand ninja's fan. I haven't thought of it since then, and at the time I chalked it up to her being a rival, a comrade. Now that I do think on it, my heart didn't do the same beat skip in horror when Lee-san was injured. I was sad for him, but that was all. 

I look at her now and notice things I've never seen before, even without using the Byakugan. The way her body moves in agile little spirals, she looks like she is dancing with Lee-san rather than sparring him. The way the sun glints off her odangos, and the bronze warmth of her skin. I find myself thinking that she looks warm. 

"Hinata. Hinata. HINATA!" Kiba is snapping his fingers in my face. 

"Ahh, I apologize Kiba-kun, I don't know where my thoughts are today, forgive me, I am so sorry." Again, I bow my head. 

His hand is ruffling my hair. He does this when he wants me to feel better, and it warms me if only a little. I imagine this must be how siblings who are not torn apart and frozen by ice act. 

"I know exactly where your thoughts were, heh, and she's coming this way." He sticks his tongue out at me, and jerks his head to the side a little. I turn and blush deeply as Team Gai is walking towards us. I am aware entirely too much of the sweat glistening off her skin. 

"Sorry guys, didn't mean to take up the whole field." She says, panting a little, and with a you-know-my-boys grimace. 

"We should make it up to them, TenTen! Let us train with them, to get their youthful blood flowing!" Lee-san yells, his eyes on fire. TenTen-chan groans. But it's too late, Gai-sensei and Lee-san have already decided for her. Kiba has already suggested that he and Shino fight Lee and Gai together, to give the girls their own match. 

Kunochi vs Kunochi. Before I know it she is standing in front of me, she is smirking and in stance and looks like fire and everything I have ever hoped to be. 

"Don't go easy on me, okay? I know how to fight the gentle fist because of Neji. Bring it on, girl!" 

And then we are dancing. We are matched evenly, step for step. She kicks, and I pivot and she sweeps and I dodge and it is all limbs and there is music in my head and when her fist connects with my head I see stars. 

As I pass out I think:

This must be what it's like to have a place in the sun. 

\--Time skip-- 

Kiba is telling me that Naruto-kun is back. But I have long since realized that I do not love him, and he has realized he loves Sasuke-kun, and Sakura-chan has realized she loves Ino-chan and the list goes on. 

Nothing is the same. Brother Neji and I are working together to change the Hyuuga from a place of ice and frozen secrets. Our friends have grown, into themselves and into each other. 

I know Kiba is telling me more about Naruto-kun and his return, I know he is brushing my hair and absent-mindedly Akamaru's every now and then as well. But I barely register these things. All I can see, byakugan and all, is the sun. 

She is sparring brother Neji today and she is losing. But she never once loses a look of determination and fire. I am in love. 

I've tried to stay away from her, so I do not freeze her fire, but we are drawn to each other like a moth to a flame. She finds me at teahouses to tell me about her recent missions, making store managers cringe with her muddy hammer propped into a seat. I find her to practice gentle fist, and she is gentle when she corrects my stance based on what she has seen Brother Neji do. 

I think she loves Lee-san. It makes my heart cold. 

"HINATA! I AM TALKING TO YOU!" Kiba yells while gently smacking me on the head with the brush. 

"Ahh, where is my head today Kiba-kun?" 

I do not apologize. She has helped me with this. She scolds me for saying sorry when I am not. She helps me hold my head up. She tells me kunochi will rule the world, and from her mouth, I believe it. 

"Just ask her out. What do you have to lose?" Kiba asks, following my gaze to where she has landed her first blow on Brother Neji. 

I have so much to lose. Hiashi-sama's new found respect for me. The title of heiress to my clan. Her. 

"Eyyya?! When will you ask Shino-san?" I blush and respond. 

Kiba looks at the match a little sadly now. Neither he nor Shino-san will ever admit to their feelings. They will be their clan heads someday. They will find wives and continue their bloodline. I will do the same. Except, as much as I wish it was different, I will find a husband. Maybe Naruto-kun. I sigh. 

 

\--later-- 

Naruto-kun is eating Ramen and talking to me about his training with Jiraya-sama. I am not listening, but I nod. I am thinking of her, and my household. 

He has stopped talking and is looking at me sadly. 

"Ehh? What is it Naruto-kun??" 

"I know how much it hurts. To love someone you can't be with." 

\--timeskip-- 

So much has happened to our world, our way of life. But I am still frozen, and my tears have all but frozen over. When Brother Neji died, my heart froze over with what was left. 

It has been years. 

Naruto-kun is hokage now, as he always wished. He is my dearest friend. 

In the heat of battle, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, Kiba-kun announced his love to Shino-san. I do not believe he said anything back. He was caught off guard. Kiba became angry. They kissed. 

I attended their wedding as double matron of honor last month. They are my family. 

I lead our family these last couple of years, abolishing the branch system. I know Brother Neji would be proud. Hiashi-sama tells me I made him proud too. Then I stepped down, this year. I handed heiress title to Hinabi-chan. She was finally ready, and eager. 

I have other dreams to pursue. 

Or destroy. 

I am not sure anymore. 

I told Hiashi-sama that I loved her. He smiled and looked a little sad. But he told me that he wished me well. That I could never return as clan head if I pursued this. I told him I understood. He gave blessing. 

And a hug. 

It may have been the first. 

Now I can see her. Even after the pain they have suffered they train here on weekdays. They no longer have Gai-sama with them. He cannot train now. I believe Kakashi-sama keeps him occupied though. 

I see her flip Lee on his back. She is fire and beauty and I cannot hold it in anymore. 

"TenTen! Chan? Eugh? Ahh!" 

She looks up and all at once I anymore on fire and I have melted and I am alive. 

"I ahh, love you?!!!?" I blush and it burns and I feel alive. 

She smiles, she smirks. She gives me The Good Kunochi Thumbs Up

"Ditto, girl. Took you long enough." 

And I am crying tears that have melted and I am running and I collide into her and she is sun and I am snow and we kiss and 

I have found my place in the sun.


End file.
